Midnight Temptation

by L Ann

  “Your heart stopped, and you weren’t breathing. That’s dead, Deacon.” She shifted around to face him.

  Deacon shrugged and sat up. “What can I say? I’m a living, breathing miracle.” He flicked a finger toward the t-shirt. “You keep stealing my clothes. You should be careful. I might start thinking you enjoy having my scent on you.”

  “Do you want it back? I can change …”

  “Well, I certainly wouldn’t object to you taking it off, but that wasn’t what I was saying.” He rubbed his shoulder, feeling the phantom pain of her teeth sinking into him.

  “Can I ask you something?”

  The hesitancy in her voice caught his attention and Deacon canted his head, the pain forgotten in lieu of curiosity. “You can ask me anything you want, Starshine.”

  She moved beside him and a sheet landed across his lap. He glanced down at it, then turned and cocked his eyebrow.

  “You really aren’t bothered by being naked, are you?”

  Deacon resisted the urge to say something dirty – a struggle, he admitted to himself, since now she’d drawn attention to the fact he was naked, he wanted to get her naked again too.

  “Shifters learn to get over any hang-ups about their bodies pretty fast once the change happens. We spend half our lives naked, there’s no time for embarrassment.”

  “I don’t think I’ll ever be comfortable with it.”

  “No one will even notice. I might, though,” He waggled his eyebrows, drawing a soft laugh from her. “But they won’t.”

  “You don’t know that for sure.”

  “Oh, trust me, baby. I notice any time you’re even close to being naked.” He purposely misunderstood her meaning and nodded down toward the erection tenting the sheet she’d covered him with.

  “I’m not naked,” she pointed out.

  “You’re wearing my clothes, with my scent all over your skin,” he smirked. “And you’re always naked in my head.”

  Gemma shook her head. “There’s something wrong with you.”

  “I hear that a lot.” He lifted his arm and draped it across her shoulders, tucking her in against his side. “What did you want to ask? Or was it the naked thing?”

  “No, not the naked thing.” She elbowed him in the ribs, and he laughed. “I was searching for information on shifters.”

  “On the Internet?”

  “No, Deacon, at the local stray Shifter Adoption home. Yes, the Internet!” Deacon couldn’t see her face from the angle they were sitting, but he swore she was rolling her eyes at him.

  “I was talking to your brother earlier and was trying to figure out why belladonna is so dangerous for you,” she continued.

  “Us,” he corrected her.

  “Every search I did came up with wolfsbane being dangerous for werewolves, but nothing about belladonna,” she ignored him, and he held back a grin.

  “Wolfsbane is dangerous for werewolves.” Deacon yawned and stretched, throwing off the sheet and rising to his feet.

  “But?”

  “We’re not werewolves,” he replied. “We’re shifters. Different species.” He crossed to his dresser and opened a drawer to pull out a t-shirt and a pair of black combat pants.

  “Do you even own underwear?” Her exclamation stopped him with his pants halfway up his legs.

  Deacon grinned at her and yanked them the rest of the way up, tugged closed the zip and pulled the t-shirt over his head.

  “The more layers we wear, the longer it takes getting them off if we need to shift. Underwear is an unnecessary inconvenience.”

  “Do all shifters go commando?”

  “Can’t say I’ve checked out every shifter in the world, but all the ones I know do.”

  “What about the women?”

  Deacon laughed. “You’d have to ask them. You don’t seem to be getting the whole being naked doesn’t really register when we’re shifting thing, Starshine. The only time I’ve ever taken notice of any female naked is when they’re in my bed.” He dragged a hand through his hair. “I feel like we’re getting off-topic.”

  Gemma nodded and reached across the bed for the tablet she’d been using. “I couldn’t find anything about belladonna being a problem for werewolves, like I said. Just wolfsbane and, since you say shifters and werewolves are two different things, I guess anything it says about wolfsbane doesn’t count.

  Deacon dropped onto the edge of the mattress and held his hand out for the tablet. She handed it to him, and he scrolled through the search results.

  “Why are you trying to research the effects of belladonna?”

  Gemma hesitated, and Deacon’s head snapped up, his eyes intent on her. “What aren’t you telling me?”

  “I’m working up to it.”

  Deacon threw her an amused look. “Just throw it out there.”

  “While you were asleep, I spoke to Shaun. There was something–” she cleared her throat, glanced over at him and away. “Something happened when Damien had us.”

  Deacon reached out and caught her hand in his, feeling her anxiety spike. “Whatever it is, it won’t change anything,” he said softly.

  Her fingers squeezed around his. “Nothing did happen. Damien made me get on my knees, taunted Shaun with making me–”

  “Yeah, I get the picture,” he muttered. Even though he meant it when he said it wouldn’t change anything, it still didn’t mean he wanted to hear about it.

  “Nothing happened. Shaun passed out and Damien dragged me back to the room you found me in.” From the way her scent changed, he knew something had happened, even if it hadn’t been with Shaun – and he knew what that something was.

  “Do you want to tell me about that?” he asked.

  “I do want to tell you. I want to tell you it all, I remember everything now,” she whispered, “but later, not now.” She swallowed, took a breath. “Shaun’s struggling. He thought more had happened between us, that Damien didn’t stop when he passed out. I told him it hadn’t and we talked about it. Deacon, he’s really struggling. He won’t talk to Cassie, he hasn’t spoken to you or Cormac.”

  Deacon sighed. “He’s trying to deal with the withdrawal, pretending it’s not as bad as it is and is scared he’ll relapse. Is that about the size of it?”

  Gemma nodded. “I thought … if I could find something, anything that might help him with the withdrawal–” she left the sentence hanging.

  “The best person to talk to would be Chase, but the truth of it is we know very little about the drug they gave to Shaun. Belladonna isn’t lethal to shifters the way it is for humans. On its own, it’s akin to …” Deacon paused to think. “I’m not sure, maybe one of the stronger strains of marijuana. It can give a pleasant buzz, but nothing major. We’ve never had enough of the drug to be able to run conclusive tests on what they have combined it with. But whatever it is, it disrupts our systems. Makes it impossible for us to shift to our animal form and stops us sleeping. It’s also highly addictive.

  “Shaun was on the drug for over three months last time. When we got him back, he thought we weren’t aware he had a problem, but it was obvious. We didn’t know what it was at the time. By the time we figured it out, he’d OD’d and we spent the next six months getting him through withdrawal.

  “The problem is we don’t know if the few doses he got while with Damien this time is enough to drive the addiction to the same level he was at, or if a few weeks will be enough to get over it.”

  “I think he’s scared that it’ll be the first option.”

  “Did he say whether he’d found any dealers in the area?”

  “No. He said so far he hasn’t done anything about it, but he’s worried he won’t be able to resist the temptation.”

  Deacon nodded slowly. “I’ll talk to him.” He lifted their intertwined fingers to his lips and kissed her fingertips. “Thank you for telling me.”

  “Where’s Mac?” Deacon pushed open the door to the study, to find Chase and Asher inside but not his brother.


  Asher’s eyes flicked to Gemma, who was standing just behind Deacon. “He’s in the basement below the gym.”

  “What about Shaun?”

  Chase shrugged. “Think he’s with Cassie. You were right about her being forced to shift when he and Mac did whatever it was they did to help you.” He smiled at Gemma’s gasp. “She’s a little freaked out. Maybe speaking to her sister might help.”

  “Shaun should probably keep Cassie as far away from Gemma’s wolf as possible. She’s got the attitude of an Alpha. She might even be a little insane.” He grunted and swayed forward, gripping the door frame. “The human half might also be a little on the nutty side, as well.” He danced sideways with a grin. “She keeps punching me,” he explained in response to Chase’s questioning look. “No respect for the fact I almost died.”

  “You want to be careful. She might find something more permanent if you keep annoying her,” Asher said.

  “You’re a vet, aren’t you, Chase?” Gemma asked, her voice sugar sweet, as she leaned around Deacon.

  Deacon winced. “I know what you’re thinking, Starshine. Just think of all the things you’d miss if you castrate me.”

  “I can always go home and get my magic wand. It talks less than you do.”

  Deacon swung around slowly to face her, his eyebrows rising to his hairline. “We need to sit down and have a long talk. It might involve a trip to town.”

  Chase and Asher laughed. With a wink in their direction, Deacon rested his hands on Gemma’s shoulders and pushed her back out into the corridor, letting the door swing shut behind him.

  “I need to go and find Mac. I’ll speak to him about what Shaun told you.”

  “I’ll come with you.”

  “No. Listen to me.” The smile dropped from his face and he bent his head, his expression serious. “This is important. You need to stay here while I talk to him. You’ve shifted now, and whether you were party to the decision or not, your wolf started a mate bond with me. That makes you Pack – at least unless you decide it’s not for you.”

  Gemma drew breath to reply and he shook his head.

  “We have time. It’s not like it was with Shaun and Cassie. And we definitely need to talk about that.”

  “My wolf … I remember her saying Mac isn’t her Alpha? What does that mean?”

  “Yeah, she said that. She acknowledged me as her Alpha though.” He couldn’t help the smirk that spread across his face at her shocked gasp. “Yeah, that’s right, Starshine. Your wolf accepts my superiority.”

  “Somehow I don’t think that’s what it means, Deacon.”

  Was it wrong for him to take such pleasure in her irritation with him?

  “Maybe … maybe not. But what it means is that, in this, you need to do as I’m asking.” His fingers curved over her cheeks. “I need you to stay here while I speak to Mac, okay? It’s a matter of hierarchy. Mac is the Alpha. Shaun and I are his seconds. It’s not a personal thing, it’s how Pack works.”

  Not to mention the last thing he needed was for Gemma to discover they were holding a girl captive. He was pretty sure she wouldn’t understand the difference between what Damien had done with her and what they were doing with the, as yet, unidentified female.

  “Gemma?” He prompted when she didn’t respond. “Starshine?” his voice dropped. “Gem?”

  Blue eyes caught his. “You never call me Gem.”

  “Don’t I?”

  She shook her head and Deacon smiled. “Why do you think I call you Starshine?” he whispered. “You shine brighter than any precious gem. When we first met, you reminded me of the stars on a clear night – bright, beautiful and completely out of my reach.”

  He turned away, leaving her staring after him, mouth agape, and strode out of the house.

  The building that housed the gym was one that had been restored since the Pack had moved in. Upon clearing it, they had discovered it was also the only building on the land with a basement and had planned to turn it into a proper Pack meeting room, instead of having to cram everyone into the study in the main house. Until that happened, they agreed to use it as a makeshift cell for the girl Cormac had captured.

  Only Cormac, Deacon and Shaun had keys to access the basement, and Deacon used his to unlock the door and make his way downstairs.

  The basement had two sections. The first, when stepping off the stairs, was an open area where the Pack had added seating, a refrigerator for food and drink and tables. The dividing wall had a door set into the centre, and beyond was a room they had planned to use for meetings. It housed a hastily found bed and the girl.

  He found Cormac in the first part of the basement, sitting on one of the couches washing blood off his arm. His head lifted as Deacon’s foot landed on the stone floor.

  “Is that your blood or hers?”

  “Mine. The little hellion bit me.”

  “Do I even want to ask?” Deacon moved to sit beside his brother and examined the teeth marks in his arm.

  “She tried to make a run for it, I grabbed her, she sank her teeth in. Not much more than that to tell.”

  Deacon glanced toward the door. “It’s very quiet in there.”

  “I knocked her out.”

  At Deacon’s surprised look, Cormac laughed softly. “I didn’t hit her, I just strangled her a little bit.”

  “A little bit? Is that even a thing?”

  “Just enough to put her down. It was that or bite her, and she’s filthy. I didn’t like the idea of what she might taste like.”

  “The potential flavor was the only thing stopping you from biting her?” Deacon snorted a laugh. “And they think there’s something wrong with me?”

  Cormac rolled down his shirt sleeve and buttoned his cuff. “Were you looking for me for a reason?”

  “A couple of reasons, actually.” He leaned back against the seat, spread his arms across the back and eyed his brother. “First being the most obvious. Have you found anything out from our unwilling guest?”

  “You mean other than she has sharp teeth? I’ve learned a few new curse words and heard an interesting description of what I should do with my, and I quote, abomination of a flaccid cock.”

  “Is it?”

  “What?” Cormac turned his head to look at Deacon, who grinned.

  “Flaccid?”

  Cormac chuckled. “Well, I’ll be honest brother, the stench coming from her wasn’t making me think about putting my abomination of a cock anywhere near her, so possibly.”

  “Nothing of any use, then?”

  “Sadly, no,” his brother paused. “Did you see she was wearing a shifter control collar?”

  “Yeah, I spotted that.”

  “I offered to remove it for her, allow her to shift.”

  “Let me guess – that’s when she tried to escape?”

  “Yes. She told me I was mistaken and that she wasn’t an abomination and the collar protected her.”

  Deacon frowned. “That’s … weird. Do you think she’s lying or is it possible she’s never shifted?”

  Cormac shrugged. “I’m not sure, but I’m going to find out. She lives with Hunters. If we can get her to talk, she’ll be a goldmine of information about Hunter tactics as well as Sam Cooper’s family.”

  “If you can get her to talk.” Deacon raked a hand through his hair. “Which brings me to the other thing. Shaun needs help, or he thinks he does, anyway.”

  “Explain.”

  Deacon told Cormac what Gemma had shared with him. “I don’t know if he truly believes he’s not strong enough to deny the temptation or if he’s just worrying about it.”

  “Part of the problem will stem from being newly mated. Until the mate-link settles, it plays havoc with emotional balance. The withdrawal definitely hasn’t been as tough this time around although I imagine it feels as bad for him. I think he just needs time, and something to take his mind off it.”

  “Well, we’ve got enough shit going on to achieve that, “Deacon said dryly. “Chase
says Cassie shifted when you were healing me.”

  “If she hadn’t shifted soon, I was going to talk to Shaun about forcing it, anyway. I think this way might have been better for her. She had no time to think about it and fail. How’s Gemma’s wolf?”

  Deacon laughed. “Full of attitude. She’d detached from Gemma to protect her, but I think I might have fixed that. Gemma will need to shift again for me to be sure.”

  His brother nodded. “A pack hunt may be in order to welcome our new wolves.” There was a sound beyond the door to the other room and Cormac’s head snapped around. “I believe our guest is stirring.”

  Deacon rose to his feet. “Then I’ll leave you to it. She’s less likely to talk if there are more of us here.”

  “Agreed.”

  Gemma tapped on the door to the bedroom her sister shared with Shaun. She heard the murmur of voices and then the door opened to reveal Shaun, shirtless with his jeans hanging low on his hips. He propped a shoulder against the door frame and eyed Gemma curiously.

  “Chase said Cassie shifted. You never mentioned it earlier.”

  Shaun shrugged. “Didn’t think it was relevant.”

  “She’s my sister! Of course it’s relevant.”

  “Gemma?” Cassie appeared behind Shaun, her hand sliding over his hip as she ducked under his arm. “Ignore him,” she said to her sister. “He’s being overprotective. Let’s go grab some coffee and catch up.”

  “Cass … “ Shaun’s voice stopped Cassie and Gemma hid a smile at her sister’s eye-roll.

  She watched as Cassie leaned up against Shaun, her hands sliding up over his chest to loop around his neck. “I’m fine, I promise. We’re just going to go downstairs to the kitchen. We won’t go to the lake or into the forest. We’ll stay indoors.” She reached up and pulled his head down so she could press a kiss to his mouth. “You said you needed to go into the studio and do some work, anyway. This way you don’t feel like you need to stay with me.”

  Shaun looked down at her. “Being with you isn’t a chore, Goldilocks. I can write anywhere.”

  “And yet you never pick up a pen or paper when we’re in the bedroom,” she grinned up at him and Gemma watched Shaun lose the battle to not smile.